Childhood Obesity Pandemic - Research Paper Example

The author concludes that the use of a creative strategy to help students learn about the childhood obesity problem is essential in equipping the students with the best practices for intervention in the issue of childhood obesity. The findings are important since they emphasize the interventions nurses should play in addressing the issue of childhood obesity.

Berkowitz, B., & Borchard, M. (2009). Advocating for the Prevention of Childhood Obesity: A Call to Action for Nursing. The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 14(1), 2-9. Retrieved March 20, 2014, from http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ANAMarketplace/ANAPeriodicals/OJIN/TableofContents/Vol142009/No1Jan09/Prevention-of-Childhood-Obesity.html

Like the work carried out by Ben-Sefer (2012), these two authors engage in another systemic review although they focus on literature related to childhood obesity and nurses’ interventions in the population. Hence, the authors offer a background for the discussion of childhood obesity by examining factors contributing to overweight and obesity in children and investigate the intervention roles of nurses and their intervention strategies.

The authors conclude that literature supports the important intervention role of nurses in a family-based approach that focuses on advocacy, development of skills among parents, and collaborative leadership with families in order to establish healthy living among children and prevent obesity at a young age. Hence, the article is an important component of my study as it accentuates the fact that nurses have an intervention role to play. 

Bohman, B., Ghaderi, A., & Rasmussen, F. (2013). Training in Methods of Preventing Childhood Obesity Increases Self-efficacy in Nurses in Child Health Services: A Randomized, Controlled Trial. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, pii: S1499-4046(13), 00691-X.

This is a quasi-experimental study that involved a randomized, controlled trial conducted in child health services in Sweden with 60 nurse practitioners of which 38 subjects were control nurses and 22 were intervention nurses. The study wanted to evaluate the effects of training in methods of preventing childhood obesity on self-efficacy (SE) in nurses.

The results suggested that the training of nurses on interventions and prevention strategies for preventing childhood obesity promoted self-efficacy among nurse practitioners. Based on these findings, the article is an important component of my study since the research conducted does not only emphasize the role of nurses’ interventions in childhood obesity but also provides a basis for nurses training with interventions for preventing childhood obesity.

Larsen, L., Mandleco, B., Williams, M., & Tiedeman, M. (2006). Childhood obesity: Prevention practices of nurse practitioners. Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, 18, 70-79.

In this study, the researchers carried out research using a convenience sample of 99 family NPs (FNPs) and pediatric NPs (PNPs) from the Intermountain area. The researchers wanted to carry out a description of the prevention practices of nurse practitioners (NPs) regarding childhood obesity. They also wanted to carry out a comparative analysis of the practices by nurses with regard to their specialty, practice setting, and their cognizance of childhood obesity prevention guidelines. While these two formed the objectives of the study, the researchers also wanted to find connections between prevention practices and demographic variables of NPS while also carrying out an examination of the resources for and obstacles to applying prevention practices. In retrospect, this explains the basis behind my choice of this article as my primary research.

In their findings, the researchers noted the inconsistency among family practice nurses and pediatric nurses in the approach of screening obesity. However, the authors noted that nurses taught parents on prevention strategies of childhood obesity, which implies that nurses were involved in intervention practices to prevent childhood obesity. In effect, the fact that the article highlights the roles of the nurse in intervention in childhood obesity makes it an important component for my study.

Morrison-Sandberg, L. F., Kubik, M. Y., & Johnson, K. E. (2011). Obesity Prevention Practices of Elementary School Nurses in Minnesota: Findings From Interviews With Licensed School Nurses. Journal of School of Nursing, 27(1), 13-21.

This is a descriptive qualitative study that involved 21 licensed school nurses as the study population. In this study, the researchers wanted insight into current obesity-related school nursing practice with a focus on obesity prevention programs. Moreover, the study examined the interest of nurses in implementing obesity prevention programs.

The research findings observed that LSNs delivered crucial and additional obesity prevention services. Data suggested the importance of school nurses, administrators, and parents in supporting school-based, LSN-led obesity prevention efforts. Based on these findings, school nurses were in a good position of providing interventions that could contribute to the reduction of childhood obesity due to their interactions with the students. Hence, this research study is an important component of my study as it highlights the intervention role of nurses in preventing childhood obesity. Read More